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The Sowing: Episode One
When Remy Alexander’s older sister is murdered in a classroom massacre and the Okarian Sector hides the truth behind the attack, her family goes underground to join the clandestine Resistance movement. Now, three years later, Valerian Orlean, the boy Remy once thought she loved, has become the man who is sworn to hunt and destroy the Resistance. As Vale fights to protect his people, he must choose whether to follow in his parents’ footsteps or to blaze his own path – and with Remy’s life in the balance, his choices will change everything.
The Sowing is a post-apocalyptic and dystopian novel. The Sowing is being released serially over a period of nine weeks and this is the first episode.
The Sowing is a post-apocalyptic and dystopian novel. The Sowing is being released serially over a period of nine weeks and this is the first episode.
- GenresScience Fiction
39 pages, ebook
Published July 17, 2013
1 person is currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
K. Makansi
9 books201 followersK. Makansi is the pen name for the mother-daughter writing team of Kristy, Amira, and Elena Makansi.
Kristina Blank Makansi – Born and raised in Southern Illinois, Kristina has a B.A. in Government from University of Texas at Austin and a M.A.T. from the College of New Jersey and an opinion on everything. She has worked as a copywriter, marketing coordinator, web and collateral designer, editor, and publisher. In 2010, she co-founded Blank Slate Press, an award-winning small press focusing on debut authors in the greater St. Louis area, and in 2013, she co-founded Treehouse Publishing Group, an author services and assisted-publishing partnership. She firmly believes that traditional genre boundaries should not apply to great writing. In addition to The Seeds Trilogy, she is hard at work revising her historical fiction, Oracles of Delphi, set in ancient Greece.
Amira K. Makansi - Amira graduated with honors in three years from the University of Chicago. She earned a BA in History and was a team leader and officer for UChicago Mock Trial. She has served as an assistant editor and has read and evaluated Blank Slate Press submissions since the press was founded. She is an avid reader and blogger who also has a passion for food, wine, and photography. She has worked at various wineries in Oregon and France and is approaching fluency in French. Along with working part-time for BSP, she currently works for a wine distributorship in St. Louis. In addition to The Seeds Trilogy, she reviews books and blogs about writing, food and wine at The Z-axis.
Elena K. Makansi – Elena is a rising senior at Oberlin College where she is focusing on Environmental Studies especially as it relates to her passion–food justice. She’s also studied studio art and drawing and has had her work featured in several college publications. While in high school, she won numerous writing and poetry awards, was awarded a scholarship to attend the Washington University Summer Writing Institute and attended the Iowa Young Writers Studio. She also won a scholarship to represent her Amideast cohort as the “resident” blogger during her study abroad in Amman, Jordan. She and Amira backpacked through Europe together and share a passion for cooking, baking–and, yes, eating. Elena maintains a Tumblr and a blog, Citizen Fiddlehead, about food and other topics.
Kristina Blank Makansi – Born and raised in Southern Illinois, Kristina has a B.A. in Government from University of Texas at Austin and a M.A.T. from the College of New Jersey and an opinion on everything. She has worked as a copywriter, marketing coordinator, web and collateral designer, editor, and publisher. In 2010, she co-founded Blank Slate Press, an award-winning small press focusing on debut authors in the greater St. Louis area, and in 2013, she co-founded Treehouse Publishing Group, an author services and assisted-publishing partnership. She firmly believes that traditional genre boundaries should not apply to great writing. In addition to The Seeds Trilogy, she is hard at work revising her historical fiction, Oracles of Delphi, set in ancient Greece.
Amira K. Makansi - Amira graduated with honors in three years from the University of Chicago. She earned a BA in History and was a team leader and officer for UChicago Mock Trial. She has served as an assistant editor and has read and evaluated Blank Slate Press submissions since the press was founded. She is an avid reader and blogger who also has a passion for food, wine, and photography. She has worked at various wineries in Oregon and France and is approaching fluency in French. Along with working part-time for BSP, she currently works for a wine distributorship in St. Louis. In addition to The Seeds Trilogy, she reviews books and blogs about writing, food and wine at The Z-axis.
Elena K. Makansi – Elena is a rising senior at Oberlin College where she is focusing on Environmental Studies especially as it relates to her passion–food justice. She’s also studied studio art and drawing and has had her work featured in several college publications. While in high school, she won numerous writing and poetry awards, was awarded a scholarship to attend the Washington University Summer Writing Institute and attended the Iowa Young Writers Studio. She also won a scholarship to represent her Amideast cohort as the “resident” blogger during her study abroad in Amman, Jordan. She and Amira backpacked through Europe together and share a passion for cooking, baking–and, yes, eating. Elena maintains a Tumblr and a blog, Citizen Fiddlehead, about food and other topics.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 24, 2014
I stumbled upon The Sowing somewhat serendipitously. I read the prologue on a whim during my lunch break (co-author Amira Makansi linked it to Twitter), and I’m so glad I did. I was amazed by how quickly I got invested in the characters and in the world. So I asked Amira for an advance copy of the full novel.
Like the best sci-fi, The Sowing is a fascinating thought experiment: what if your social circle splits in half, and people you’ve once loved--friends, teachers, parents--grow to despise you? That’s the scenario Remy Alexander and Vale Orlean find themselves in. They are bitter enemies when the book opens, but at one point in time, they were close friends with the promise of more. They were exploring their romantic feelings for each other just as their society experienced a great upheaval. Remy’s family joined a group of resistance fighters, while Vale, the son of the Chancellor, was put in charge of their extermination.
The novel alternates between Remy and Vale’s points of view and puts them on a collision course towards reuniting. When they finally do (I feel it’s ok to spoil that plot point), the authors milk the drama for all it’s worth. The middle chapters of the book provide some of the most intense moments I’ve read in sci-fi. Feelings of guilt, betrayal, and indignation pour out of the characters as they are forced to defend their past transgressions--real in some cases, falsely perceived in others.
Unfortunately, it takes a while to get to the good stuff. If you read the first act and feel like it’s moving too slow, don’t worry, your investment WILL pay off. But there are an overabundance of characters here, many with backstory, and their development eats up precious real estate. In my opinion, several characters could have been combined or dropped in the interest of pacing.
The world is richly drawn and becomes a platform for exploring a number of interesting subjects, such as genetically modified food, man’s impact on the environment, and class dynamics. At first, we don’t know why the Resistance has broken off from the rest of society. The reason is eventually provided in a shocking reveal. However, the novel never fully explores the ramifications of that reveal. As a consequence, I felt emotionally distanced from the plight of the Resistance. Fortunately, that didn’t detract from my investment in Remy and Vale’s individual journeys.
The Sowing is a page-turner, at least, after that slow first act. Several key moments will hit you hard, especially if you’ve ever felt like an outcast or a pariah. And the writing style allows you to easily slip inside the world and the minds of the main characters. Even though this is the first book in a planned trilogy, the ending is deeply satisfying, and my appetite has definitely been whet for the next installment.
Like the best sci-fi, The Sowing is a fascinating thought experiment: what if your social circle splits in half, and people you’ve once loved--friends, teachers, parents--grow to despise you? That’s the scenario Remy Alexander and Vale Orlean find themselves in. They are bitter enemies when the book opens, but at one point in time, they were close friends with the promise of more. They were exploring their romantic feelings for each other just as their society experienced a great upheaval. Remy’s family joined a group of resistance fighters, while Vale, the son of the Chancellor, was put in charge of their extermination.
The novel alternates between Remy and Vale’s points of view and puts them on a collision course towards reuniting. When they finally do (I feel it’s ok to spoil that plot point), the authors milk the drama for all it’s worth. The middle chapters of the book provide some of the most intense moments I’ve read in sci-fi. Feelings of guilt, betrayal, and indignation pour out of the characters as they are forced to defend their past transgressions--real in some cases, falsely perceived in others.
Unfortunately, it takes a while to get to the good stuff. If you read the first act and feel like it’s moving too slow, don’t worry, your investment WILL pay off. But there are an overabundance of characters here, many with backstory, and their development eats up precious real estate. In my opinion, several characters could have been combined or dropped in the interest of pacing.
The world is richly drawn and becomes a platform for exploring a number of interesting subjects, such as genetically modified food, man’s impact on the environment, and class dynamics. At first, we don’t know why the Resistance has broken off from the rest of society. The reason is eventually provided in a shocking reveal. However, the novel never fully explores the ramifications of that reveal. As a consequence, I felt emotionally distanced from the plight of the Resistance. Fortunately, that didn’t detract from my investment in Remy and Vale’s individual journeys.
The Sowing is a page-turner, at least, after that slow first act. Several key moments will hit you hard, especially if you’ve ever felt like an outcast or a pariah. And the writing style allows you to easily slip inside the world and the minds of the main characters. Even though this is the first book in a planned trilogy, the ending is deeply satisfying, and my appetite has definitely been whet for the next installment.
July 19, 2013
I'm a co-author, so I'm biased and won't rate it. But I hope YOU'll give it a read.
Okay, okay ... so I did rate it, and I did give it 5-stars, but please don't hold it against me. :)
Okay, okay ... so I did rate it, and I did give it 5-stars, but please don't hold it against me. :)
July 21, 2013
The novel is written in the First Person POV of Remy and Vale, but at no time did I feel confused. The POV is distinct and moves through the novel with almost no overlap, thus allowing the story to move onwards from two varied viewpoints. Up to the 25% mark we are introduced to many characters (Game of Thrones eat your heart out), but all are unique. it's a stellar cast of likeable characters and some that you wouldn't want to scrape off the bottom of your shoe. Let me blunt, it's an imaginative and well described world. I was there with Remy in the underground, and Vale enjoying the highlife of superiority.
Dislike towards some character will change and that's the sign of a well written and well thought out novel.
Fans of Hunger Games, Uglies, Inside Out and Across the Universe will absolutely enjoy this.
The Sowing is better than the Hunger Games because the danger, the risk, the world, the characters and the subplots within the plots, not forgetting the code to be broken (which was some of the best I've read) is ahead of The Hunger Games. Go on... shoot me down if you dare, but don't until you've read The Sowing.
5 Stars or Five Stars or * * * * * or whatever - take your pick.
Brilliant novel.
Dislike towards some character will change and that's the sign of a well written and well thought out novel.
Fans of Hunger Games, Uglies, Inside Out and Across the Universe will absolutely enjoy this.
The Sowing is better than the Hunger Games because the danger, the risk, the world, the characters and the subplots within the plots, not forgetting the code to be broken (which was some of the best I've read) is ahead of The Hunger Games. Go on... shoot me down if you dare, but don't until you've read The Sowing.
5 Stars or Five Stars or * * * * * or whatever - take your pick.
Brilliant novel.
July 29, 2013
When I first started reading The Sowing, it seemed like it would be the fairly standard trope of a sleek utopia with hidden secrets, and a ragtag underground resistance that exposes and undermines the evil empire. While the book certainly works within this shell, it brings it down to a much more realistic level, and has a series of unexpected twists that make it a unique and unforgettable storyline.
Because of these twists, it's not the type of book to read when you're tired and looking for an easy read. Throughout the novel, the authors scatter tantalizing hints and tidbits about the past and the secrets, but nothing is ever definitively revealed, leaving the reader to attempt to piece together a background, undergoing what feels like a similar experience to a citizen of the Okarian Empire exploring its seedy underground and, a bit at a time, finding clues as to what is actually going on behind the scenes.
The two main characters, Remy and Vale, are masterfully written, and each time they try and overcome a problem, they make a series of logical choices that always seem, both to them and the reader, reasonable at the time. Vale, especially, seems only like an inherently good person trying to do the best that he can as he watches the world around him slowly collapse and reveal the hidden truth.
The rest of the characters flesh out a rich world, from the surly biologist with a mysterious past (he made military weapons-grade flowers) to the brilliant sidekick caught up in the escape and along for the ride.
If there is one criticism, its that the story is so fast-paced, it makes the sense of a collapsing world too realistic. By the end, the bits and pieces of background still only hint at a larger picture, and you feel like one of the main characters, trapped and adrift and swept up in events you don't understand and that are beyond your control. Which, since this is the first book of a trilogy, is a brilliant place to be left.
Overall, the book takes a very commonly used skeletal theme and brings the reader down to the level of the people living inside the world, with all of their triumphs and fears, and its ultimately about two people trying to survive and thrive in an environment that is slowly falling apart. Its complexity is well worth a read and a re-read, and I cannot wait for the next books.
Because of these twists, it's not the type of book to read when you're tired and looking for an easy read. Throughout the novel, the authors scatter tantalizing hints and tidbits about the past and the secrets, but nothing is ever definitively revealed, leaving the reader to attempt to piece together a background, undergoing what feels like a similar experience to a citizen of the Okarian Empire exploring its seedy underground and, a bit at a time, finding clues as to what is actually going on behind the scenes.
The two main characters, Remy and Vale, are masterfully written, and each time they try and overcome a problem, they make a series of logical choices that always seem, both to them and the reader, reasonable at the time. Vale, especially, seems only like an inherently good person trying to do the best that he can as he watches the world around him slowly collapse and reveal the hidden truth.
The rest of the characters flesh out a rich world, from the surly biologist with a mysterious past (he made military weapons-grade flowers) to the brilliant sidekick caught up in the escape and along for the ride.
If there is one criticism, its that the story is so fast-paced, it makes the sense of a collapsing world too realistic. By the end, the bits and pieces of background still only hint at a larger picture, and you feel like one of the main characters, trapped and adrift and swept up in events you don't understand and that are beyond your control. Which, since this is the first book of a trilogy, is a brilliant place to be left.
Overall, the book takes a very commonly used skeletal theme and brings the reader down to the level of the people living inside the world, with all of their triumphs and fears, and its ultimately about two people trying to survive and thrive in an environment that is slowly falling apart. Its complexity is well worth a read and a re-read, and I cannot wait for the next books.
May 3, 2014
"The Resistance Has Begun.
Remy Alexander never thought she'd be hunted. Growing up in the posh comfort of the elite meritocracy of the Okarian Sector, she knew nothing of genetically modified food, drug regimes used to control and manipulate citizens, or the mysterious disappearances of powerful Sector scientists and politicians. But when her older sister Tai was killed in a brutal classroom massacre, Remy and her friend Eli swore to find the truth behind her sister's murder. Now, three years after the massacre, Remy and Eli are fighters for the Resistance, a fledgling group of renegades trying to stop the Sector's systematic enslavement of citizens. But just as Remy and Eli think they've found a clue into the mystery of her sister's death, Valerian Orlean, Remy's old schoolgirl crush, is put in charge of destroying the Resistance. While Remy and her friends race to unravel the mystery behind her sister's murder, Vale is haunted by the memory of his friendship with Remy and is determined to find out why she disappeared. As the Sector hunts the Resistance, and Vale and Remy search for answers, the two are set on a collision course that could bring everyone together - or tear everything apart.
In this science-fiction dystopia, the mother-daughter writing team of Kristina, Amira, and Elena Makansi immerses readers in the post-apocalyptic world of the Okarian Sector where romance, friendship, adventure, and betrayal will decide the fate of a budding nation."
All I can about this book is UGH!! The map in the front of the book helped a bit but I found nothing exciting, thrilling or worth reading in this book --- It took me over FOUR CHAPTERS to even figure out what was going on --- the names of the characters were all so confusing and difficult to even try pronouncing that half the time I was just lost. Might be a good science fiction comic series for television or something but, I didn't care for it at all.
Remy Alexander never thought she'd be hunted. Growing up in the posh comfort of the elite meritocracy of the Okarian Sector, she knew nothing of genetically modified food, drug regimes used to control and manipulate citizens, or the mysterious disappearances of powerful Sector scientists and politicians. But when her older sister Tai was killed in a brutal classroom massacre, Remy and her friend Eli swore to find the truth behind her sister's murder. Now, three years after the massacre, Remy and Eli are fighters for the Resistance, a fledgling group of renegades trying to stop the Sector's systematic enslavement of citizens. But just as Remy and Eli think they've found a clue into the mystery of her sister's death, Valerian Orlean, Remy's old schoolgirl crush, is put in charge of destroying the Resistance. While Remy and her friends race to unravel the mystery behind her sister's murder, Vale is haunted by the memory of his friendship with Remy and is determined to find out why she disappeared. As the Sector hunts the Resistance, and Vale and Remy search for answers, the two are set on a collision course that could bring everyone together - or tear everything apart.
In this science-fiction dystopia, the mother-daughter writing team of Kristina, Amira, and Elena Makansi immerses readers in the post-apocalyptic world of the Okarian Sector where romance, friendship, adventure, and betrayal will decide the fate of a budding nation."
All I can about this book is UGH!! The map in the front of the book helped a bit but I found nothing exciting, thrilling or worth reading in this book --- It took me over FOUR CHAPTERS to even figure out what was going on --- the names of the characters were all so confusing and difficult to even try pronouncing that half the time I was just lost. Might be a good science fiction comic series for television or something but, I didn't care for it at all.
November 17, 2013
Move over, Hunger Games and Divergent. It looks like we have a contender here. Mark my words, The Sowing will definitely appeal to the YA crowd, or people who enjoy reading books that help them find themselves. Like many YA novels, The Sowing is written based on the POV of Remy and Vale. While it’s penciled in first person, there’s a heavy emphasis on the supporting characters. This approach proves to be fruitful. Minor characters are just as important as main characters. I have to divulge that I wasn’t drawn into the book in the first place. I felt that the first 100 pages were rather paper-thin-plot. Character-wise, there’s room for improvement. It gets so fast-paced that everything seems a little unworkable for me. In spite of all this, I was hooked. Who is the real mastermind behind the unsparing mass slaughter? Will Remy and Vale end up together? What’s going to happen to the Sector and the Resistance? Overall, I find that The Sowing is plagued with suspense and riddles. If you’re looking for a novel worth your time, this might be it. Be prepared to jump out of your skin.
Memorable quotes:
There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth- not starting and not going all the way.
Seeds are some of the strongest and hardiest in the whole world. They’re a testament to the power of life to return even after thousands of years, even after death and starvation. They spring from the ground eternally, bringing flowers and beauty back to the world, just like hope.
Note: Mild profanity
I received a complimentary copy of The Sowing in exchange of my honest review.
Memorable quotes:
There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth- not starting and not going all the way.
Seeds are some of the strongest and hardiest in the whole world. They’re a testament to the power of life to return even after thousands of years, even after death and starvation. They spring from the ground eternally, bringing flowers and beauty back to the world, just like hope.
Note: Mild profanity
I received a complimentary copy of The Sowing in exchange of my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews